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Find housing before you start service

You will be required to be living within the state of South Carolina for the first day of service to allow you to focus on building relationships with your teammates, immerse yourself in training and adjust to your new neighborhood before the school year begins.

We highly encourage our AmeriCorps members to secure housing on or before registration day, which is typically one week prior to the first day of service. Securing housing prior to the start of service will allow you to focus on building relationships with your teammates, immersing yourself in training and adjusting to your new neighborhood before the school year begins.

When to start looking

We recommend beginning your search by late April or early May and being prepared to make a commitment to your preferred housing choice by June. ��ɫ��Ƶ Columbia’s in-person registration is typically held during in mid-July. Securing housing by June will allow you to move and get acclimated to your new residence before the start of their service year.

Deciding where to live

We recommend finding housing in the following neighborhoods:

• Cayce
• Downtown
• North Main
• West Columbia

We recommend using for an easy-to-use, free website for renters and property managers.

Columbia’s vibe is friendly and lively with a lot of up-and-coming areas. With a vibrant resurgence on Main Street, the evolving artistic environment in The Vista, and the delightfully unique discoveries in Five Points, on Devine, along Trenholm and beyond, our eclectic variety of shops and galleries make our community a something-for-everyone paradise.

Finding roommates and budgeting for housing

On average, our AmeriCorps members typically pay between $500-$900 per month in rent depending on the amount of roommates. AmeriCorps members typically decide to live with roommates. Although not a requirement, sharing residential and utility expenses with one or more roommates can really help to stretch your budget. We highly encourage AmeriCorps members who are interested in living with roommates to initiate conversations through our Facebook group, Slack community or via direct message to other AmeriCorps members.

Members may find housing through online posting sites, word of mouth and sometimes directly from current members advertising their apartments. Rental postings should outline who to contact to learn more about the property, costs and lease terms. When renting an apartment, ask about the following fees as they frequently apply.

• Broker’s fee – typically one month’s rent or a percentage or the annual lease
• Security deposit – typically one month’s rent, returned at the end of the lease if the property’s condition is maintained
• First month’s rent – typically due upon signing of the lease agreement
• Last month’s rent – may be requested upon signing of the lease agreement

Some utilities are included in the price of rent, so be sure to ask your landlord. When viewing apartments, most landlords or current tenants will gladly tell you the average price of utilities, so don’t be afraid to ask. It is also helpful to ask what utilities the house uses, such as gas or electric heat. Some units and buildings include laundry, for free or at a cost, while others are located near laundromats.